Apple Live Event: Next Gen Apple Watch S4 Is a Lifesaver

Apple has revealed the next generation Apple Watch S4, and here’s what you need to know

On Wednesday, Apple kicked off a highly-anticipated live event from Steve Jobs Theater at its Cupertino headquarters. The Mission: Impossible theme, plenty of humorous throwaways, and a running agent, complete with furniture hurdles and ominous silver briefcase, led up to CEO Tim Cook opening the case to reveal…

A remote control. Okay, so it was the clicker for his Power Point presentation, but whatever. It was funny.

Actually, the live event was a deep-dive into two Apple devices that are currently on the market, one of which is the Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch

It is both the number one smartwatch in the world and also the number one watch in the world. That should come as no surprise; Cook shared two key data points with the attendees: 500 million visitors per year go to an Apple Store, and the company has just unleashed its 2 billionth iOS device.

Today’s event introduced the next gen Apple Watch version S4, a physically redesigned smart timepiece that makes previous versions look like bulky Swatches from the ’80s. The display is new, with an edge-to-edge, curved edge screen that’s 30% larger than previous model. Incredibly, it not only didn’t add to the size of the overall Watch, it’s actually got less volume than version 3.

Physically redesigned

Three major functions of the Apple Watch have always been at the core of the company’s plan: connectivity, fitness, and health. The Watch face is customizable with photos, geolocation, fitness monitor, and more. Just as every iPhone is unique to its user due to the apps and screen content, so is every Apple Watch.

Physically, the speaker is 50% louder and the microphone is on the opposite side to make calls even clearer. The case offers improved cellular reception as the front and the back of the case now allow radio waves to pass through.

It could save your life

Inside, the S4 has a 64-bit Dual Core processor, Watch OS5, and an improved accelerometer and gyroscope, giving it the ability to detect movements up to eight times faster than before. This means that the S4 can now detect a fall of the wearer has an accident.

This single innovation was worthy of the entire live event; if a fall is detected, a message appears on the screen that allows you to call for help at a tap of the screen. However, if there is no response to the message after one minute, it automatically sends a message to your stored emergency contact.

It looks after your health

That’s not the only health-conscious feature: the S4 can detected heart rates that are too high or too low and send the wearer an alert. Even better, it can detect an irregular heart rhythm and send a medical alert to the wearer, as well as use electrodes in the back of the case to conduct an electrocardiogram. This first-of-its-kind, FDA-approved, over the counter ECG lets the wearer monitor their heart health with the touch of a fingertip to the digital crown in only 30 seconds.

And it’s not just for show

Is all of this just some flashy bells-and-whistles? Probably not, considering Dr. Ivor J. Benjamin, MD, President of the American Heart Association, took to the stage to explain how this innovation is a game changer for patients, doctors, and the technology that drives the healthcare field. Is all of this a massive violation of users’ private health data? Absolutely not. All of the information gathered by the S4 is encrypted before storage.

Not only have prices come down on the series 3 watch, the S4 is available for order and will be delivered on September 24th.

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